By Abhishek Takle
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Mexico’s Sergio Perez did his best to snatch victory ahead of Charles Leclerc at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, but his margin of victory was later reduced when he received a five-second penalty for a safety infraction. car.
The Red Bull driver passed the checkered flag 7.5 seconds ahead of his Monegasque rival after a slow race, delayed by rain, interrupted by two safety car periods and five virtual safety car periods. The GP ended in its two-hour time limit after 59 out of 61 laps.
The penalty meant Perez was still ranked ahead of Leclerc in the final results, but by just 2.5 seconds.
Carlos Sainz, in the other Ferrari, came in third.
Perez’s victory forced Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, who finished seventh, to put his championship celebrations on ice.
“I controlled the race,” said the 32-year-old Mexican driver, who started alongside pole position Leclerc on the front row and took the lead from him on the wet track.
“I gave everything for the win today,” added Perez, who struggled in the closing moments to open up an advantage.
(Additional reporting by Alan Baldwin in London)
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